# Understading groups in discourse

**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/understading-groups-in-discourse/141327
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [February 11, 2020, 9:01pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/understading-groups-in-discourse/141327 "2020-02-11T21:01:59Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![jenni\_alencar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/jenni_alencar/32/169068_2.png) [@jenni\_alencar](https://meta.discourse.org/u/jenni_alencar)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2020, 9:02pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/understading-groups-in-discourse/141327/1 "2020-02-11T21:02:00Z")

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Hi guys,

What’s the difference between staff, admin and moderators? And what is this under the name of the group (Owner, automatic, member?)

Thank you.

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### Author: ![ondrej](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/ondrej/32/198804_2.png) [@ondrej](https://meta.discourse.org/u/ondrej)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2020, 9:14pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/understading-groups-in-discourse/141327/2 "2020-02-11T21:14:05Z")

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Hello @jenni_alencar!

Staff = Both admins and moderators

Admin = controls forum and settings (in a really simple way)

Moderator = controls content and users

* * *

> [@jenni\_alencar](#):
>
> Owner

You are the owner of the group. This is shown by a green shield icon. You can change group settings.

> [@jenni\_alencar](#):
>
> member

You are a member of the group.

> [@jenni\_alencar](#):
>
> automatic

You are automatically added to the group. For example: moderators is automatic. You must tick a checkbox to make a group automatic in the group settings when creating the group. (correct me here if I’m wrong)

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### Author: ![Falco](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/falco/32/179432_2.png) [@Falco](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Falco)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2020, 9:49pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/understading-groups-in-discourse/141327/3 "2020-02-11T21:49:12Z")

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> [@jenni\_alencar](#):
>
> between staff, admin and moderators?

Official documentation on that is [Understanding user statuses, roles, and permissions](https://meta.discourse.org/t/description-of-various-user-states-in-discourse/35171)

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### Author: ![system](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/system/32/443519_2.png) [@system](https://meta.discourse.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2020, 9:52pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/understading-groups-in-discourse/141327/4 "2020-03-12T21:52:13Z")

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